


A Gentle Nudge

by sigh_no_more



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 23:32:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1099853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sigh_no_more/pseuds/sigh_no_more
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based off of this prompt from Tumblr user <a href="http://kenjiiatosh.tumblr.com/"> kenjiatosh</a>.</p><p>Courfeyrac had known before he had know himself. Part of it was intuition, part of him had guessed, and part of him simply /hoped/. Which is why it was that when Enjolras was off his game for the entirety of their Thursday night meeting, and Grantaire had been absent to said meetings for the first time in six months, Courfeyrac had pounced on the opportunity. He had no mercy in teasing Enjolras about his crush, (because, come on, he didn't even think Enjolras /got/ crushes before Grantaire)  and if Combefere's sass made an appearance for a short time, well, all the better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Gentle Nudge

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kenjiiatosh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenjiiatosh/gifts).



Courfeyrac was a lot more observant than his friends gave him credit for. Granted, he wasn’t as organized or detail oriented as Combeferre. He wasn’t good at remembering birthdays and anniversaries like Joly (thank God for the calendar Combeferre had given him). Nor could he recall random factoids at the drop of a hat like Grantaire. All this, combined with his booming voice, effusive personality and general enthusiasm towards life gave the impression that he was unperceptive – too wrapped up in his own world to pay attention to the little things.

This was a mistake. Just because Courfeyrac was loud didn’t mean he never listened. He paid attention to his friends and could pick up on their moods, their likes, their dislikes and what was going on in their heads. It was how he knew about Bossuet and Joly a month before even Jehan had begun to suspect anything. It was how he was the first amongst the Amis to pick up on the fact that Grantaire’s crush on Enjolras was more than just teasing. And it was how he knew that something was wrong with Enjolras.

Courfeyrac looked around. No one else seemed concerned, except Combeferre, who was eyeing Enjolras thoughtfully. When Courfeyrac caught his eye, Combeferre merely shrugged. Courfeyrac would corner him later so they could compare theories. He knew Combeferre had some.

Their methods of observation differed greatly. Combeferre was good at compiling small details, analyzing the data, then drawing a reasonable and logical conclusion. Courfeyrac on the other hand noticed details, but didn’t necessarily know he noticed them. It was like his subconscious picked up on the little things, and then connected the dots until he had a “Eureka!” moment.

“Should we get started?” Combeferre prompted Enjolras gently.

Enjolras shuffled his papers. He had been doing this for the past five minutes. Courfeyrac was sure his notes were the most orderly stack of papers he had ever seen. Their meeting should have started ten minutes ago. It almost seemed as if Enjolras was stalling. Odd.

“Yes, of course,” Enjolras said, clearing his throat. His chair creaked against the floor as he pushed it back, and stood up.

A hush fell over the Amis. They were a rambunctious group, but Enjolras was always able to command their attention at meetings- a testament to both his skill as an orator, and their dedication to their causes.

And yet, Enjolras took a look around the group, like he was waiting for something. Whatever it was, he didn’t seem to find it, because he took a deep breath and began a recap of a meeting he had with the leader of another student group. Courfeyrac frowned. It wasn’t like one of Enjolras’s usual speeches that he gave in front of a massive crowd, full of momentum and passion. Enjolras was talking like he expected to be stopped any second. His eyes kept flickering towards the door. It wasn’t obvious enough that anyone other than Combeferre seemed suspicious, but it was definitely more than usual.

Courfeyrac resisted the urge to crinkle and uncrinkle a flyer Grantaire had given him to show at the meeting. Grantaire finally got around to designing them, after promising a month ago. Then right before he could finally give them to Enjolras, he got an offering to show at a gallery in a town five hours away, and had to ask Courfeyrac to bring the fliers instead. It was a shame that the first time Grantaire could contribute something to the meeting that _wouldn’t_ piss off Enjolras he couldn’t come, especially when he had perfect attendance for the past six months and _oh my god._

Courfeyrac tore his eyes away from the gorgeous designs on Grantaire’s flier, the dots finally connected. No. _No. No fucking way_.

He squinted at Enjolras. There was no way this was why Enjolras was distracted. He should be _more_ on his game because Grantaire wasn’t interrupting him every ten seconds, right? This was wistful thinking. It had to be. Courfeyrac had watched Grantaire fall more and more helplessly in love with Enjolras, and the unrequitedness of it all had been almost as painful for Courfeyrac to witness as it must have been for Grantaire to experience.

Enjolras didn’t even get crushes. When they were in fifth grade, Enjolras had solemnly told Combeferre and Courfeyrac that he was going to marry the Statue of Liberty, because of the ideals she represented, and the fact that she was a gift from France, the country where Enjolras’s mother was from, and a country he (even at the age of ten) thought America should work harder to have a strong relationship with.

And yet….somehow, the notion that Enjolras was off because of Grantaire’s absence made sense. It inexplicably seemed like the right answer in Courfeyrac’s head. He shot a look at Combeferre, who gave the slightest of nods. It’s times like these when Courfeyrac is convinced Combeferre can read minds, and right now, he seems like he’s giving silent confirmation.

Only one way to find out.

“ _R_!” Courfeyrac called out loudly.

Enjolras stopped midsentence, looks at the door eagerly, and _blushed._ When he saw no one there, he looked at Courfeyrac.

“R you sure that’s the best course of action?” Courfeyrac said easily covering.

“Am…what?”

“Are you sure that’s the best course of action?” Combeferre repeated for Courfeyrac, a tiny smirk forming at his lips. It took Enjolras a second to realize Courfeyrac was talking about his speech.

“Wh- of course I am!” Enjolras said, turning back to his notes, his face very red.

“ _Gran_ -ted,” Courfeyrac emphasized the first syllable. “I wasn’t at the meeting, so I guess you know best.”

“You weren’t at the meeting,” Enjolras agreed. “So can you please stop interrupting?”

Courfeyrac nodded, feeling very pleased with himself.

So Enjolras was missing their resident cynic. And there was no way he was just concerned about the Amis’ attendance rates, because he blushed. Courfeyrac hadn’t known Enjolras was even physically capable of blushing, and yet there it was.

The question now was what to do with that information. Combeferre raised his eyes at Courfeyrac- a silent challenge, it seemed. Well alright.

“So I invited a few of the other university leaders to our meeting at the end of the month,” Enjolras concluded. “They were very excited to see how we operate, and I think this would be a great opportunity for them to meet you and network and…stuff.”

Courfeyrac almost choked. ‘And stuff?’ Poor Enjolras was really off his game without R there to infuriate him.

“Next order of business?”

“Grantaire dropped these fliers off at my place,” Courfeyrac said, passing the samples around.

“They look good,” Combeferre said, which Courfeyrac took as encouragement.

“They do indeed,” Courfeyrac agreed. “That man is very talented with his hands.”

Enjolras choked on his water, causing Bahorel to pound him on the back to dislodge the liquid. Luckily for him, everyone else was too immersed in admiring the drawings to notice anything.

“Yes, we’ll have to thank Grantaire later,” Enjolras said, trying desperately to regain control.

“Any particular way to thank him in mind?” Combeferre asked, his tone innocent, but his eyes twinkling mischievously.

“I was just going to say ‘thank you’,” Enjolras said.

Combeferre snorted. “Well that’s better than giving him a speech about how valuable his contribution to the cause is.”

“I don’t do that.”

“What about for your birthday last year when I got you tickets to that lecture at Columbia?”

“It _was_ valuable to the cause,” Enjolras said, a pout forming. “It gave new ideas on communication and outreach.”

“You make Bahorel look like a touchy-feely human,” Combeferre said wryly. Bahorel guffawed. “Grantaire put a lot time into these. You should do something extra nice.”

Enjolras nodded. “Okay.”

“And you should _not_ give him one of the Amis badges we’ve been handing out.”

“Why?” Enjolras said, his face dropping in disappointment.

“Because R designed them. And then helped make them. Courfeyrac and I will help you think of something after the meeting,” Combeferre said, and Courfeyrac wanted to kiss him.

“Okay. After the meeting then,” Enjolras agreed. “Now, about the rally for the end of the month-”

“It’s stupid and it’ll never work.”

Enjolras’s face went over several extraordinary changes in the span of a few seconds. At first, it lit up when he heard the words, then it was confused when he realized it wasn’t R speaking them, and then there was a scowl when he a) processed the words and b) realized Courfeyrac had said them.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m just being the opposing voice,” Courfeyrac said.

“Don’t.”

“Geez. You’re not this mean to R when _he_ does it.”

“I am equally….” Enjolras trailed off.

“Equally mean?”

“I’m fair,” Enjolras retorted. “Now, please, let’s continue.”

It wasn’t the most productive of the Amis meetings. Mostly because Enjolras continued pausing when there were no interruptions. He was lost without his favorite heckler. They still got enough done so that it hadn’t been a total waste of time, and the rest of the Amis departed without really noticing anything was amiss. When Enjolras got up to leave too, Combeferre grabbed his elbow.

“Remember- we have to think of something to thank R with.”

Enjolras sighed, and sat back down. He glared when Courfeyrac scooted his chair closer. “What was that?” he snapped.

“What?”

“The constant interruptions?”

“You don’t seem to mind as much when R does it.”

“Of course I do.”

“Really? Because it seems like you kind of like it.” Courfeyrac said, in a sing song voice. “In fact, it seems like you kind of like R.”

“Courfeyrac,” Combeferre said sharply. “This is Enjolras. He doesn’t _do_ crushes.”

Enjolras smirked triumphantly and Courfeyrac stared at him, open mouthed, feeling betrayed.

“He’s already planned his wedding to the Statue of Liberty,” Combeferre continued sternly.

Now it was Courfeyrac’s turn to smile as Enjolras’s grin slowly slid off his face.

“Traitor.”

Combeferre shrugged, taking a sip from his mug. “I don’t know why you’re so upset. I’m just excited to attend the wedding of you and your true love.”

Courfeyrac snorted loudly. Enjolras was now sporting a fully-fledged pout and looked in danger of leaving, so Combeferre handed him a biscuit (he carried around emergency snacks for when Enjolras got cranky). Enjolras munched on the proffered snack, looking slightly mollified.

“Oh, just let me have this,” Courfeyrac said. “It’s sweet!”

Enjolras looked like he didn’t very much appreciate being called ‘sweet’.

“It’s okay to have feelings. Human emotions. They’re allowed,” Courfeyrac continued, but this only made Enjolras glare harder.

“I know that. I just don’t _have_ them for _Grantaire_ ,” Enjolras said.

“No, you’re right,” Courfeyrac said solemnly. “You just think about him a lot, and miss him when he’s not here.”

“Exactly.”

Courfeyrac burst into giggles but quelled them after Combeferre nudged him with his foot.

“I bet your stomach get upset just thinking about him.”

Enjolras nodded emphatically.

“Like there are butterflies?” Courfeyrac said.

“Yes. I mean no!” Enjolras let out a huff. He buried his head in his hands, and flopped down on the table. For a moment, Courfeyrac felt a twinge of pity. But just a moment.

The door swung open quietly, and Courfeyrac caught sight of R slinking in and pulling off his beanie. R glanced around. His face was flushed, like he had raced over. He noticed the trio sitting at the table, and frowned when he saw Enjolras with his head lying on the table and approached gingerly.

“Can we just figure out how I can thank him for the fliers?” Enjolras moaned miserably.

“You really liked the fliers?” Courfeyrac said.

“Of course I did,” Enjolras’s voice sounded muffled from underneath his hands. “They were brilliant.”

“You think so?” Grantaire said softly.

Enjolras’s head shot up. “Grantaire. I thought you weren’t coming.”

“Have I ever missed a meeting?”

“Yes. Six months ago, in June when you went to Morocco for vacation,” Enjolras said automatically, before blushing. “I mean…I was going over our attendance logs a few days ago.”

Grantaire stared at him, turning a shade of red that rivalled Enjolras’s.

“And you missed this meeting, technically,” Enjolras continued.

“Sorry,” Grantaire rubbed a hand through his hair. “I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t really important.”

“It’s okay. Just…I hope you come to the next one,” Enjolras said.

He and Grantaire stared intently at each other’s faces.

“I think,” Courfeyrac tugged Combeferre’s elbow, hoisting him up. “Combeferre and I have a previous engagement we need to attend to. Enjolras wanted to buy you a drink to say thanks.”

“I did?” Enjolras asked.

“You did,” Combeferre assured him.

He and Courfeyrac went over to the door and put their coats on. Courfeyrac shot one last look over to the table, and saw Enjolras smiling nervously at Grantaire. Courfeyrac caught his eye and winked.

They wouldn’t confess their feelings to each other tonight. They wouldn’t kiss or even flirt. But now Courfeyrac knew, and he just had to give Enjolras some gentle (or persistent and blatant) nudging in the right direction. They’d get there. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. This is the first time I've done a one shot, so it was a bit of a challenge. I've also never done a prompt fill as well, so it was a new experience. Thanks to Kenjiatosh for the prompt- it was a lot of fun to write! 
> 
> Happy holidays all.


End file.
